Jasper's story
by BlackDancer
Summary: This is Jasper's story. It was originally going to be in chronological order, but I've struggled with that, so I'm writing scenes as they inspire me, then will piece them all together. Please keep that in mind when reading. Reviews are welcome!
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note: Some Twi-hards might notice some discrepancies in given dates and Jasper's age. Stephanie has said that Jasper was born in 1843, and joined the Confederate army when he was 16. However, the state of Texas did not secede from the Union until 1861, making Jasper already 17. She also has said that Jasper was turned when he was 20, in 1863. But according to his story in Chapter 13 of Eclipse, he was changed during the evacuation of Galveston during the first battle of Galveston, which happened in October of 1862, which would make Jasper 19. My story keeps Jasper's birth year the same, but his ages accurate for the true historical timeline.**_

_**I also took much direct dialogue from Eclipse when Jasper is telling his story to Bella, but only from when he first meets Maria, Nettie and Lucy.**_

_**Disclaimer: All Twilight Characters owned by Stephanie Meyer.**_

Maria

The light from the moon seemed to dim as the night went on, Jasper noticed. It was going to be rough getting back to Houston tonight by this light, he thought crossly. He was tired straight through to his bones, but there was no time to rest. They had only two more days to evacuate the rest of Galveston, and the safety of the women and children were priority before the deadline was up and the Confederates would surrender the city, willing or not.

Jasper walked briskly to the army post for a fresh horse. The private on duty was asleep, and Jasper had to knock loudly on the door for several minutes before a sleepy-eyed soldier opened it. The soldier was prepared to give an ear full to whomever had woken up his sleep, but the tirade was stopped short when he saw the officer standing before him.

"Major Whitlock, sir," the private stood at attention quickly and saluted though he was not in uniform.

"At ease, son." Jasper dismissed him, though the private was probably about his own age. "I am in need of a horse. I intend to return to Galveston tonight to see the rest of the city out safely. Do you have an animal who is rested and sure-footed?"

A look of confusion crossed the private's face, as he was sure Major Whitlock was in desperate need of rest himself. It was not his place to question the Major, however. Major Whitlock was already something of a legend, being the youngest Major in the state of Texas, at the age of 21, and there were rumors he'd lied about his age. When he spoke, people listened, no matter what the issue. He was even able to negotiate the four-day truce between the Union and the city of Galveston in order to evacuate the civilians when neither leader would budge. He was in charge of that evacuation, and Private Richards could tell that Major Whitlock would see every last woman and child out of that city before he took his own needs into consideration.

Private Richards lit a lantern and headed to the stable, choosing the strongest, swiftest horse he had. He tacked the horse up quickly, almost feeling the impatience radiating off of the Major who was waiting by the door.

When the private had finished, Jasper thanked him and mounted quickly for the fifty mile return trip to Galveston. The horse was sound and fleet, and eager to be off as well, despite the late hour.

Jasper flew through the deserted city streets and was about a mile out when his horse suddenly shied at something. The animal danced around a bit, and snorted a few times. Jasper, eager to be on his way, dug his heels into the animal's flanks and urged his mount forward. He was not in the mood to deal with a temperamental animal.

The horse lurched forward a few steps, then balked. _Damn_, thought Jasper. He briefly wondered if there were a snake nearby, but the night temperature was too cold. Jasper turned the horse around a few times in a circle, then aimed it South toward Galveston, and kicked it again. Again, the gelding lurched ahead and stopped. The horse rolled his eyes, flared his nostrils, and reared. Though Jasper was an experienced horseman, it was all he could do to keep the gelding from bolting.

It was then that he noticed the three women on the side of the road up ahead. They were on foot, and seemingly headed toward Houston. He was confused, sure that he'd gotten all of the evacuees safely into the city and settled somewhere. Being the Southern gentleman that he was, he dismounted, trying to keep a firm grip on the reins of the flighty horse, and approached the women to offer his assistance. The horse disagreed, and jerked his head sharply, causing Jasper to drop the reins. The gelding took off back the way it came, the sound of its hooves pounding the ground ringing in Jasper's ears.

Mentally cursing the horse, Jasper turned his attention back to the women, or girls, as they should be called, for they were barely past childhood. They were, without a doubt, the three most beautiful women Jasper had ever seen. He was struck dumb by their beauty, and he was sure they were not part of his evacuation, for he'd have remembered the porcelain-like faces that stood before him. Their skin was the palest of white, their features delicate and refined. What struck him the most was their eyes. He'd never seen eyes of that color, a deep red, the color of dried blood.

The tall blonde girl spoke first. "He's speechless!" Her voice was soft and delicate, like a chime ringing in the breeze.

The second girl leaned in toward him closing her eyes and breathing deeply. Jasper was still too stunned to speak as she murmured, "Lovely." Her hair was paler and longer than the tall one, but with features that were very similar.

The third woman was a tiny brunette, whose features were also very similar, was clearly Mexican. She quickly put her hand on the second girl's arm, and spoke what Jasper took to be sharply though with her melodic voice it didn't sound to be so.

"Concentrate, Nettie," she instructed the second girl.

It was easy for Jasper to see in those few seconds that the tiny brunette was in charge. A vague sense of danger was slowly creeping over him, but just then a soft breeze blew over them, carrying their scent to him. Jasper inhaled deeply and felt a wave of desire rush over him as he breathed it in.

"He looks right – young, strong, an officer…" The brunette paused. Jasper tried to speak again, but found no voice in his throat. Her voice was so soft and beautiful, he could think of nothing he'd heard like it before. It captivated him. "And there's something more…do you sense it?" she asked. "He's compelling."

"Oh yes," Nettie agreed, breathing deeply again as she inched closer to Jasper.

The brunette again laid her hand on Nettie's arm and cautioned, "Patience. I want to keep this one."

The tall blonde spoke again, "You'd better do it Maria, if he's important to you. I kill them twice as often as I keep them."

"Yes, I'll do it. I really do like this one." The brunette eyed Jasper up and down while still no sound came from him, the feeling of danger was steadily returning. He was confident the talk of killing was serious, and briefly wondered if they would kill him. Jasper had been taught to protect women, not fear them though, and he dismissed the idea as quickly as it had arrived. "Take Nettie away, will you?" Maria continued, " I don't want to have to protect my back while I'm trying to focus."

"Let's hunt," the tall girl said and reached for Nettie's hand. Nettie put her own small hand in the taller girl's and they wheeled around to sprint toward the city. They were so graceful, their dresses billowing behind them as they seemed to take flight right in front of Jasper's eyes.

He turned back to stare at Maria, and until that moment, Jasper had never believed in ghosts. Suddenly, he wasn't so sure. Every fiber in his being was telling him to run, that this tiny brunette woman was a threat to him, supernatural or otherwise. But his feet refused to obey, and he had a fleeting thought that he wouldn't get far regardless.

"What is your name, soldier?" Maria purred in her musical voice.

Jasper finally found his tongue, unable to be impolite to any woman, ghostly or not. He ducked his head in true Southern style and responded, "Major Jasper Whitlock, ma'am."

"I truly hope you survive, Jasper," she continued. "I have a good feeling about you."

Maria stepped toward Jasper and inclined her head as though to kiss him. Jasper's instincts were screaming at him to run away, that it was not a kiss that this woman was after. But he was rooted to the spot, unable to break the trance her red eyes held him in as she leaned in closer.

Maria's teeth sank easily into Jasper's neck. Jasper screamed and immediately fell to his knees, the pain the most intense, all-consuming feeling he'd ever experienced. It radiated from where she had bitten, from his neck, flowing down his body, into his torso and limbs. He tried clawing at her, but she was too fast for him, biting him repeatedly on his arms as well, causing small fires to erupt and spread from those points as well. The pain was excruciating, as though he was being burned from the inside out. Jasper fell to the ground and writhed in this torture, clutching, clawing, grabbing anything he could. He tried crawling away from her, but found that it did no good, he had nowhere to go, the pain was too great for him to move. The screaming continued, as his mind grew numb and stopped functioning. He knew nothing but the searing fire coursing through his veins.

Maria stepped back and watched, a small satisfied smile on her face that she had been able to stop. It wasn't easy, once she tasted the blood, but her self-control had grown. Her goal was a solid one, and if she focused on that instead of the warm, fresh blood, she found it was easier to pull her mouth away. Jasper was going to be important, and she couldn't let her thirst get in the way of her goal.

She picked up the writhing, screaming officer in her strong icy arms, and sprinted to her hide out, a small outcropping of buildings about five miles outside of the city that had been abandoned long ago. This was where she was building her army, keeping the newborns until she had the strength to fight. Maria left Jasper there, and returned to the city to hunt.


	2. Chapter 2

Awakening

There was no passage of time. Only pain. Burning, white hot flame peeling away his insides. Weeks, months, years. There was no way to measure it. He begged, pleaded, screamed for someone to kill him, to end this torture.

No relief was granted.

An eternity passed. In microscopic increments, the pain began to recede. First, his brain began to function. His first clear thought in days. Then slowly, his fingertips were no longer burning. His toes followed. His hands. Feet. Arms. Legs. Jasper slowly began to feel relief from the burning sensation that had encompassed his body for the better part of three days.

While his body recovered, his brain was processing so much information. Jasper realized he could hear footfalls that were on the other side of the building. He could hear the insects crawling on the ground, picking out each insect's individual cadence. He heard a soft rhythmic thumping that he vaguely recognized, but could not identify.

Jasper took a deep breath, testing his awareness. There was a tightening of his stomach, a tensing of his muscles, excess fluid in his mouth. The fire in his body had cooled, but there was a new fire in his throat. He opened his eyes and sprung fluidly to his feet, landing in a defensive crouch. He was most aware of one thing. One sensation. One instinct. _Feed_.

The sweet smell of blood was strong, and Jasper realized he automatically identified what he needed so desperately to quench the fire in his throat. He followed the scent merely by turning his head, and saw a girl laying unconscious on the floor in front of him. He didn't take the time to think, in a blur he leapt across the room, lifted the girl off the ground, and crushed her throat between his razor sharp teeth. The hot, wet, sweet blood pumped into his mouth and he drank greedily from her veins until there was nothing left.

His thirst temporarily sated, Jasper dropped the body and looked around at his surroundings. He realized that he could see the most minute things – the dust particles in the air, the grains of sand sticking to the windows, the hairs on the insects' bodies. There was very little light in this room, but his vision was unaffected. _What have I become?_ he thought.

He flexed his hands in front of him, noting the fluidity of the movement. His skin was now as smooth and pale as the girls he'd seen on the road that night so long ago. Something in that thought triggered a memory, and Jasper fought through the thick fog of his human memories to fish for it. He remembered the horse. He remembered being eager to return to Galveston. He remembered Maria.

As if he'd spoken her name aloud, she appeared. She smiled as she approached him, apprehensive about his strength, knowing what a newborn was capable of. Through trial and error, she'd found that if she fed them first, offered them something to quench the burning thirst, that they were easier to reason with in the beginning. Though their instincts ruled most of the time, they were still thinking creatures, and she could manipulate them to follow her.

"Is your thirst sated Jasper?" she asked.

Jasper, unsure of her motives, did not relax his stance. He felt strong, powerful, and distrustful. He could feel the power, the confidence radiating off of her skin, but there were others. Fear, hatred, anger. He felt the emotions she was emanating like a physical touch on his skin. It was nothing like he'd ever experienced before. It only added to his confusion.

"What have you done to me?" Jasper growled.

A slow grin spread across her face, "I have given you life. Powerful, immortal life. I have made you a god! We are vampires, creatures of the night, feeding on the weak and pathetic.

"Tell me, what do you feel?"

Jasper glared at her warily but paused a moment to assess his physical feelings. The burning sensation in his throat was the most powerful thing he knew. The memory of the taste of blood was on his mind, and he knew he would need to feed again soon.

Maria watched his face as Jasper assessed himself. "That sensation, that burning in your throat, is your thirst. You live for your thirst, and I will help you to quench that thirst.

"I am building an army, creatures like you and I who will be rulers of the night! We will retake my lands, and together we can be gods!"

Maria's eyes lit up with excitement when she told him this, the future giving her features new life. Jasper felt the subtle change in her feelings, again like physical touches. He couldn't identify it, and decided to keep the knowledge to himself for the time being.

She continued, "Jasper, there are others like us, who are also building armies. They are trying to kill us as well. If we don't kill them first, we will die. And a vampire can die, Jasper. It's not pretty. And it's painful. We must strike at them first! Join me Jasper, and we will change the world!"

Jasper eyed her warily, not completely trusting her, but seeing little other alternative. He had questions, and started to ask…

Maria interrupted him. "I know you have questions Jasper. And I _will_ answer them. But not now." She motioned. "Come," she commanded. "It's time to meet your new brothers."

_**A/N: I know some of the dialogue is a little choppy, but I figured it was easier to get it written, then edit later. Feedback on the story so far would be great - I hope to continue to write it! I have LOTS of ideas coming up! **_


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/n: I've tried writing Jasper's story in order, but am struggling with chronology. So - I am writing various scenes from Jasper's life. This scene is where he meets Alice for the first time. *please* comment, as I'd like to know if others think I caught Jasper's feelings when they first met. There will be other fragmented scenes as well, please feel free to review individually as well. Thanks! **_

Alice

The sky had clouded over to a dull, flat grey. Jasper glanced up and wished for the thousandth, millionth time that he had somewhere to go or something to do. He was aimless, desolate, wandering the streets of city after nameless city. He'd wandered the continent relentlessly, seeking escape from the demons that continued to plague him.

He was tired, so very tired. Tired of this endless existence. _What is the point?_ he wondered, yet again. He'd lost count of the times he'd asked himself that question, and was frustrated that he had no answer.

The thunder rumbled closer, and the wind picked up. Jasper knew the storm was fast approaching and would be a downpour. It was mere minutes away. The already wane afternoon light dimmed further as the darker clouds rolled closer. He was still not used to traveling during the day, Maria had entrenched in him a fear of the outdoors, but Peter and Charlotte had met with others who would travel if the sun was hidden. He was always careful, but it still made him uncomfortable most of the time.

Jasper saw a small diner ahead. He was thirsty, just now. His darkened eyes would not attract attention, he knew, and he decided to stop. He was not physically tired, but his mind was weary. He knew that it was dangerous, with his thirst, but what could he do? He couldn't stay in the rain, that often attracted attention. He smiled wryly, not that his good looks didn't. People stared wherever he went regardless of what he was doing. His beauty captivated just about anyone he met. They most often stared from afar, some sixth sense telling them what they couldn't identify. That he was very dangerous. Sometimes if he was truly tired of the staring, he would growl, a fierce animal sound that rumbled deep in his chest. He would chuckle when they would hurry away, muttering to themselves. It was childish, he knew, but he had little else to amuse himself in the endless days.

The street Jasper was on was fairly empty, most people indoors in anticipation of the storm. They were expecting record rainfall. He knew he could make the door before it hit, if he moved quickly, but he was in no hurry. The first drops of rain hit him a few strides before he hit the door, completely saturating his honey blonde hair and coat in a manner of seconds. Jasper paused to turn his face up to the oncoming rain. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the sensation on his face. He enjoyed so little anymore, he took pleasure in finding the smallest things that pleased him. He sometimes imagined that if he stood in the rain long enough it might wash away his pain.

A deep sigh heaved in his chest as he opened his eyes and reached for the door. Bells chimed over his head as he pushed. He quickly tested the atmosphere and felt her before he saw her. He glanced up and their eyes met. At that moment, he knew. He knew what this existence was leading up to. This moment, here, with her. She was what he had been searching for, long before he was even aware of it.

She was sitting on a stool near the counter, already turned to face him, as if expectant of his arrival. She was tiny, pixie-like in her appearance. Her hair was black and cropped short, sticking out in all directions. In all of his travels, Jasper had never met another creature, vampire or not, who could compare to the radiant beauty of this woman before him. If he'd a heart, it would have been racing. His breath caught in his throat, for once emotion ruling over the burn of his thirst.

The woman slid off of the stool and walked toward him. Years of war had ingrained him a powerful defense mechanism, and Jasper tensed, preparing to defend himself if necessary. Yet, she was tiny, how could she threaten him? As she drew nearer, he could tell that she would pass under his outstretched arm without even having to duck.

The emotions rolling off of her in waves reached him first. They hit him hard, almost causing him to stagger, as they were something he'd never felt before in his existence. He'd known only hatred, anger, fear, vengeance and blood thirst for well over a hundred years. But her. She radiated light.

"You've kept me waiting a long time," the woman stated simply in her melodic voice.

Even after all these years still unable to be impolite to a woman, Jasper ducked his head apologetically and said, "I'm sorry ma'am."

The woman held out her hand to him. It was a simple gesture, but carried so much meaning. Jasper did not stop to think of what he was doing. He reached his hand out, hands that had always been steady in war but now trembled ever so slightly, and grasped her tiny hand in his own much larger one.

Her touch only intensified the feelings he'd felt coming from her. For the first time in nearly a century, Jasper felt hope.


End file.
